Them
by SomewhereNearBerk
Summary: Hiccstrid oneshots. Enjoy
1. Help

He never told anyone his first memory of her. It was, he thought, pathetic he remembered the little details about four year old Astrid Hofferson on that midsummer evening. For once, there wasn't a dragon

* * *

circling the island and the rest of the Hairy Hooligan tribe were either in the Mead Hall or inside their own homes.

Hiccup was an inquisitive child with a tendency to wonder away from others and explore on his own. That particular night, his father was with the likes of Spitelout Jorgenson and Gobber the Belch and far too wrapped up in other matters to pay attention to where his young son had wondered off to. He trusted the women in the village to collectively keep an eye on him, seeing as they were much more nurturing than he was.

The skies were clear. Not a cloud was in sight and it was less painfully freezing than normal on Berk. He could hear the chatter from the Hall and the occasional giggle of the other children playing nearby. He didn't really associate himself with them. His cousin, Snotlout, was both bigger and stronger than him and enjoying pushing Hiccup around in front of everyone else to impress them. Hiccup had sadly learn to tolerate and 'be the bigger man', as it were.

"Stupid Snotlout" Someone sulked, kicking a stone so it dropped down the cliff face and hit the grey sea below with a soft splash "It's always _his_ game, never my game even though I started it"

He looked in the direction of the stone kicker and saw a shock of lightening blonde hair pouting and furrowing her brow. She was around the same height as him but more muscular, despite being a girl. She was Astrid Hofferson. He had seen her running around the village, usually with some sort of stick she was using as a make-believe weapon. He couldn't help but stare at her blue eyes as the fading sunlight seemed to reflect off of them and steal his attention from exploring his surroundings.

"Close your mouth or you'll catch flies" She snapped at him once he saw him staring.

"But there are no flies here" He replied, taking the term literally and looking around to spot these flies she spoke of.

"It's an expression, muttonhead" She huffed dramatically as she kicked another stone over the edge.

"I'm not a muttonhead" He said, puffing out his chest "Snotlout is for taking your game"

"Eavesdropping is rude" She sighed angrily.

"But you're rude too"

"So what?" She scoffed "If I jumped off a cliff, would you jump off it too?"

"I'd consider it" He said innocently "You'd hurt yourself and would need help"

"Help is for the weak" She declared "Astrid Hofferson doesn't need help"

* * *

"Hey, Hiccup?" She had just spotted Hiccup enter the Dragon Stables. She removed her saddle from Stormfly and was struggling to carry it and put it back in its correct place "Help me put this back"

"Help is for the weak" He smirked "Astrid Hofferson doesn't need help"

"What if I jumped off a cliff would you help me then?" She asked as he turned on his heel and strolled out of the stables.

"I'd consider it" He called back.

Then suddenly, it all clicked together for her.

* * *

 **New one shot series. Hopefully regular updates because I'm a serious sucker for Hiccstrid**


	2. Obvious

The Riders thought it was a good idea to camp out and watch the shooting stars go by that night. They were, sorely, mistaken. Whilst, the stars in all their majesty were easily visible above them, the paralysing cold made it difficult to concentrate on anything other than the threat of hypothermia. Yet for a reason unbeknownst to everyone but Snotlout and Hiccup, the Riders were set to stay in the same snowy spot to gaze up at the night sky.

A small fire was going but barely generated enough heat to warm the tips of Ruffnut's fingers, let alone five other Vikings and their dragons. Fishlegs sighed as he poked the fire with a stick, the flame refusing to catch on.

"Ugh, why are we even here?" Tuffnut complained as he rubbed his hands together in a desperate attempt to regain some feeling in them.

"Well, meteor showers are pretty remarkable" Fishlegs commented "It takes quite a lot of patience but-"

"Yeah, yeah that's nice, Fish" The male twin cut him off "But wouldn't it have been easier for Hiccup to watch it from back at the Edge? You know, without us?"

"I don't know, maybe you can see them better from here" Fishlegs shrugged.

The twins plus Snotlout and Fishlegs were huddled around the fire, with their dragons not far behind them. Hiccup and Astrid, however, were sitting on the beach with Toothless and Stormfly sitting further away. The waves washed up and down silently, almost nipping at Astrid's boots as she curled herself up tighter. Her cheeks had a pinkish tint from the cold as her teeth chattered wildly. Subconsciously, she moved closer to Hiccup who seemed warm in comparison - A move unnoticed by both of them but picked up by the others.

"Something's telling me that the meteor shower isn't the only reason Hiccup dragged us out here" Ruffnut observed as she looked at the unofficial couple. Snotlout snorted.

"And something's telling me that our friend Snotlout here knows that reason, sis" Tuffnut added. Three pairs of eyes suddenly whipped towards Snotlout, trying to stare him into submission.

"You're wrong, my friends" Snotlout lied "I know nothing, zero information, zilch"

"If you insist" Fish replied

"Fine! I surrender!" Snotlout exploded "I badgered Hiccup into admitting he was in love with Astrid and that's why we're all here - So it wouldn't be weird!"

"He's in love with?!" Ruffnut repeated "I knew he probably liked her but I didn't realise he was actually in love with her"

"I mean, it was kind of painfully obvious" Fishlegs added "The dilated pupils, the constant closeness, the way they look into each others eyes" He sighed lovingly as he gazed at them "They're each others soulmates"

"Gross" The other three groaned.

"I definitely thought he liked her" Tuffnut said "I mean, _little_ Hiccup certainly did. On many different occasions"

"I do not want to here about the effect Astrid has on my cousin's meat!" Snotlout exploded, flushed.

Down on the beach, Hiccup gulped and shifted uncomfortably. Luckily for him, Astrid was too distracted by other things to have heard.

* * *

 **This made me laugh towards the end**


	3. Misery

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you, Astrid" Hiccup sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly mane of hair "It's not safe to fly in those parts alone? Do ou even know how many active trapping ships there are around there? You put yourself at risk, you put Stormfly at risk. Something could've happened to you, do you understand?"

"But nothing did happen" She snapped back "I'm fine"

"How could I have possibly known that?" He tried to keep calm and exhaled angrily "I would've come with you. I would've been there too if you had just an ounce of patience"

"I have patience" She shouted "I have a lot more than you think I do but it's not my fault you keep running it out faster than the Twins run out of sensible ideas. I wait and I wait for you, Hiccup but you're never there when I need you to be! I'm sure as Hell not going to settle for you leading me on and making me feel less than you because you're...what? The original dragon whisperer?"

"Don't make this something it's not!" He replied "This isn't about who's better or worse! This is about you and your safety. I can't always protect you!"

She was taken aback "You think I need protecting?"

"Of course not" She folded her arms "But you don't understand that your rash decisions have consequences that affect everyone and not just you. It's selfish and what's more, it's stupid. Sometimes I feel like I don't even know you!"

She laughed humourlessly "How can you say that?" Tears pricked her eyes "I let you in. I let you show me this beautiful new world of dragons and exploration and you know what, I'd let you show me anything and follow you anywhere. You know why? Because you're my best friend and I trust you with my life and more. You changed me and made me a better person. This is you reflecting onto me"

"No" He raised his voice "The difference between you and me is that I have a brain and not an axe!"

That was it.

"People talk about how you've revolutionized the way we live but you know what I think?" There was no holding her back now "You're the same insecure, attention-seeking little boy you were and you're just living off of everyone else's approvals because you accidently shot down a Nightfury with an idiotic contraption you slung together when you were bored!"

He swallowed, her words internally stinging him "I love you, okay? That's why this is such a big deal to me, Astrid! Because I love you!"

"I love you too" She whispered, wiping a tear away "But I'm done"

She turned on her heel and pushed open the door, ignoring the other riders who were listening intently. She was leaving.

* * *

A day went past. Then a week. Then two. Before she knew it, she'd been on Berk for a month miserable and alone. Snotlout had visited once to see his family though she suspected Hiccup had sent him to check on her. Her parents were concerned, as was everyone including Stoick. Apart from Snotlout's brief visit, no other contact with the Edge had been made so she was surprised when she received a letter via Terror Mail in spidery, almost illegible handwriting.

 _Astrid,_

It read.

 _I, Tuffnut Thorston, have never written a proper letter in my life but believe me when I say this was absolutely necessary._

 _Things aren't the same here on Dragon's Edge. Everything's quiet. Ruff and I are being to slowly die of boredom. We rarely see Hiccup. He mopes around in his hut and only speaks occasionally in this depressing whisper. Snotlout tries to make conversation but is shut down everytime. Fishlegs is a lot less thorough when giving him updates. I'm no expert but I think you broke his heart. And I know he broke yours too. Fish is calling it an ambiguous loss. Either way, pl_ _ease come home._

 _\- Tuff._

She wanted to reply but it hurt to even think of what to write back. Instead, she just left it alone and wallowed more in self-pity.

* * *

"Astrid?" Mrs Hofferson called softly.

"Hm?" Astrid replied, being torn from her thoughts. It had been about four days since the letter arrived.

"Hiccup's back" She said.

"Oh" Astrid couldn't bring herself to say anything else.

"Do you want to say hello?" She asked "Maybe bring him over something to eat? It must've been a long flight"

"No thanks, Mom"

"What's going on between you two? I spoke to Stoick and it sounds like Hiccup is just as depressed as you are"

"Not a lot" She smiled sadly "We both said some things we didn't mean and because of them, I came back to Berk"

"Please just talk to him, dear" She sighed "It'll make everything better I promise"

* * *

In head, Astrid kept on rehearsing what she was going to say but all of it complete disappeared as soon as she saw him. His green eyes were bloodshot and he sported big black bags underneath. His russet coloured hair was horrendously unruly and he unconsciously tugged at the braids Astrid had tied in long ago. Suddenly, nothing mattered anymore.

She flew towards him, wrapping her shaking arms around his shoulders tightly. He squeezed her back.

"I'm sorry" She breathed into his neck.

"I've missed you so much" He replied, kissing her cheek "Never leave me again"

"Never" She agreed, loving him with every inch of her body again.

* * *

 **I might as well have smacked my own heart with a hammer. This hurt me.**


	4. Heal

**I'm weak-willed and easily distracted. Sorry.**

* * *

Hiccup had never been the best in the group at combat, his lack of leg proved that, but he still liked to think that he'd able to fight himself out of a difficult situation as a last resort. Whilst, he had managed to escape with six Vikings and six dragons, he had also escaped with a knife in his shoulder after it had been hurled across the boat.

"First time having a weapon stuck in you?" Astrid smirked as she sat on the side of his bed once Fishlegs had removed the knife and stitched him up.

"How did you know?" He replied, sitting up shifting slightly to give her some space.

"The half broken spoon you chomped on was a pretty good indication" She laughed "Don't worry though. You'll live. It's only your shoulder"

"Better than my internal organs" He said "I'm guessing the situation would be slightly worse if I'd have taken it to the heart"

"How would explain that to the great Stoick the Vast?" She chuckled before becoming quite serious "I'm glad you're okay, Hiccup"

He stroked her cheek and wiped a stray tear off "We're okay"

Astrid soon fell asleep on his good shoulder soon enough. She was pretty adamant about staying by his side. She refused to let anyone peel her away from him. Until Fishlegs gave him the all clear, she wouldn't move from her position.

What Hiccup had not told Astrid was that the knife that plunged itself in his shoulder was not intended for him. In truth, Dagur had thrown the knife and, if Hiccup had not deliberately put himself in it's path, it was supposed to land right between Astrid's blue eyes. It was a quick, no-brainer decision and, though Fishlegs's removing and stitching hurt like a bitch, it was nothing compared to the pain that loosing Astrid would bring. Nothing would ever persuade him otherwise.

Next to his bed, Toothless warbled as nudged Hiccup's hand slightly, shifting his attention from the beautiful girl sleeping on his shoulder to the Nightfury next to him.

"Hey bud" He whispered quietly "I'm going to be out of action for a bit, I'm afraid. Astrid and the others will be looking after you in the meantime"

As if she had heard, Astrid stirred as stretched her arms around Hiccup's waist, nuzzling into his neck and sighing.

Through some sort of telepathy between dragon and rider, Toothless understood. Of course, he knew Hiccup loved him differently to how he loved his father, but it had never occurred to him that Hiccup loved Astrid differently to both of them. It was the type of love that was casual yet wildly intense. They could laugh, joke and feel comfortable around each other despite the passion that they felt.

Maybe as a dragon, love for Toothless would be different but if it was anything like this, he expected only the greatest things.


	5. Coincidental

As the chief, Stoick did everything he could to nurture Hiccup as a father and a chief. Though it didn't seem like long ago that Stoick was yelling at his young son for wondering off, he knew Hiccup was almost a man. It didn't actually occur to him that Hiccup was far more mature than he had first thought. Being the heir to the Hairy Hooligan tribe, Hiccup couldn't get away with much. He was constantly under pressure to do the right thing and be sensible.

"Son" He cleared his throat as he stood in the doorway of Hiccup's room "We need to talk"

Hiccup suspected his father wanted to talk to him about chiefly duties or security around Berk and the Edge.

"I had a very interesting conversation with Mrs Hofferson the other day" He started

"Oh" Hiccup tried to gulp as inconspicuously as he could.

"About some missing herbs" He continued

"Herbs. Well, maybe Stormfly might have knocked them off a shelf" Hiccup suggested, desperately trying to conceal his humiliation.

"Stormfly might have knocked them" Stoick repeated to himself "But Mrs Hofferson said that this particular box of herbs was as neat as she left it except a number of pouches were missing. I doubt a dragon could do that"

"I don't know dad" He scratched the back of his neck "Stormfly is pretty intelligent and-"

"Hiccup" Stoick interrupted "I think we both know who took the herbs and what they're being used for"

A blush crept up Hiccup's cheeks. He wanted the ground to swallow him whole.

"And it's quite coincidental that last month, Gobber noted that some of his sheepskins had disappeared too" His father added "From his stash in the forge"

Hiccup just wanted this mortifying conversation to end soon. Preferably without punishment for him or a chastity belt for Astrid.

"I should hope that if the heir to the tribe and his lass are using these...supplies for themselves" The chief continued "That they'd be more discreet as so they don't ruin their reputations"

"I should hope so too" Hiccup swallowed. His father nodded before leaving.

"And for future reference, son" He called back "The sheepskins are kept on the top shelf!"

* * *

"You won't believe the conversation my father and I had today" Hiccup said as he dismounted Toothless and joined Astrid on the ground

"Continue" She replied.

And as he recited the earlier conversation, she could only think about three things; How she was going to be able to look her mother in the eye again, what the chief must think of her right now and lastly, how damn adorable Hiccup was when he was flustered.

* * *

 **I don't really like how this ended but I was lazy and wanted to move on**


	6. Music

**Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates, this year's been hectic**

* * *

"Can I have this dance?"

Candles illuminated the Mead Hall, the glow of the flames clinging to every inch of Astrid's body. For this one night, the hall, usually filled laughter and liquor, had been transformed into a glorious wedding reception for the newlyweds.

Having grown up on a small island, the young vikings were used to attending the weddings of fellow villagers. When they were young, they used to run around whilst older vikings danced or were looking out for dragons. As they grew, weddings were more about sneaking each other alcohol and trying to hit on others their own age whilst pretending not to be slightly intoxicated. But now, in this moment, it was all about Astrid for Hiccup.

They were still young and had a lot of growing up to do before Hiccup was to become chief, Hiccup had never been so sure of what he wanted in his life. He wanted Astrid, at her best and her worst. He wanted to marry her and love her everyday that he would be lucky enough to live by her side. He wanted to hold her whilst they looked far off into the distance and across the waters of Berk. He wanted the stubborn, bold, brave children that they would have together. But for tonight, he just wanted to dance with her.

"I thought you'd never ask" She laughed, taking his hand.

He pulled her up from her seat. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist and she giggled, leaning her head towards his until they were but only inches apart. The band played merrily behind them as other vikings danced alongside them. She could feel his body heat and his eyes studying her facial features. Subconsciously, her fingers traveled up his neck to play with the braids at the back of his head, the ones she put there. She loved being close to him, being able to feel so connected to him in a moment. She would remember this night.

"That'll be us one day, Astrid" Hiccup whispered in her ear, still holding her tightly as they looked on at the happy couple in their wedding finery. He kissed her cheek tenderly and running his fingers up and down her ribs gently. She laughed as he tickled, continuing to kiss her face over and over again.

"That'll be him in a few years, Chief" Gobber nudged Stoick as he looked on at his son dancing with the girl he was so uncontrollably in love with.

"He's not a baby anymore" Stoick the Vast sighed "I wish Valka could see him now"

And Hiccup and Astrid continued to dance the night away until the hall was exhausted of occupants, enjoying being in each others company and listening to the sweet music that only they could here.

* * *

 **Short and sickly sweet**


	7. Domestic

5am.

Astrid sat on the table, wearing nothing but a pair of panties and one of Hiccup's old tunics. Her feet dangled a few inches off the floor as she hunched over, trying to catch her breath and keep down the contents of her stomach. Her blonde hair was unruly from the few hours of sleep she had gotten. She hated her hair when it was loose, she found it too messy and it got in the way. And now she especially hated it as it reeked off vomit. She was cold. The tunic barely covered the top of her thighs and she was barefoot, shivering and felt like crap.

Hiccup, feeling the absence in their bed, wandered down to the kitchen where he found his wife wide awake and pale. They were still in their youth so to be awake at 5am was considered ungodly for Hiccup and Astrid. They would typically wake up around late morning, sometimes early afternoon most days. Hiccup was the chief and a young one at that, villagers had learnt to accept that their chief was a late riser. Seeing that his wife was somewhat distressed, he put his arm around her and pulled her into his chest.

"Why are you up so early?" He asked, kissed the top of her head "What's wrong?"

"Didn't feel well" She mumbled, closing her eyes as she leaned on his bare chest, enjoying it's warmth and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Try and get some more sleep" Hiccup advised, scooping her up in his arms in bridal style and carrying her to their bedroom "I'll get Gothi to come check you out later"

"No" She mumbled sleepily "You sleep in the bed, I'll just sleep on the furs"

She made an attempt to get back out of the bed but was unsuccessful as Hiccup grabbed her by the waists and gently pulled her back under the covers.

"But you'll get sick" She protested.

"I don't care" He kissed her nose playfully, letting her make herself comfortable in his arms and on his chest so they could fall back into deep slumber.

* * *

"Well, it's not a bug" Gobber, with the help of Gothi, concluded "Not contagious so Hiccup will be fine. It's probably food poisoning"

"That's good news, isn't it?" Hiccup said "Astrid, when did you first start vomitting?"

"Sometime last week" She replied, trying to cast her mind back.

"Last week?" Hiccup repeated in disbelief and slight agitation "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I only threw up in the mornings and after that it stop"

Gothi and Gobber looked at one another, exchanging a knowing glance. In that moment, Gobber didn't need Gothi to tell him what to say.

"Congratulations, Chief"

* * *

 **Two chapters in one day! Hopefully I'll be uploading more over the Christmas holidays!**


	8. Safety

**Contains spoilers for RTTE S5. It was sooo good**

"We'll get the Edge back, Hiccup" She said softly.

In the time since flying back home to Berk, explaining the predicament to Stoick and then having a lengthy discussion regarding tactics and weaponry, neither of them had had a moment to themselves. The situation was dire and there was war in the air, they could both feel it. Yet, whilst other Berkians felt exhilarated, longing for the next taste of battle, Hiccup felt...defeated.

Protecting the Edge was his job, his duty. Out on the Edge, he was a leader who'd defeated fearsome warriors who came in search of chaos. Around the Archipelago and in the Great Beyond, the reputation of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III bounced from island to island, part fact and part fiction. The boy who trained a Nightfury, son of Stoick The Vast and future chief of Berk.

"Is there even an Edge to get back?" He sighed, looking out at the seemingly endless expanse of sea and the clouds that met them on the horizon. All he could think was that somewhere out there, someone was destroying what he'd built, the jewel of his dragon empire, and razed it to the ground.

"Don't say that" She replied, taking his hand in hers gently. She hated seeing the man she loved look so...tortured, so deflated. Hadn't he be the one to show her this new way of living, against all the odds? After everything he'd worked for, how could he lose hope like this? "Where there's life, there's hope"

"And what if there isn't any life there when we get back?" He snapped, snatching his hand away, before taking a deep breath and rising from his spot on the earth. Cue nervous pacing; one foot padded against the ground whilst the metal of his other clinked and oiled quietly, but loud enough for Astrid to hear. She could draw every word from him without him even moving his lips. She'd spent enough time around him to know what each quirk, each twitch and each anxious movement to know exactly how he felt. "What if they've set the forest alight? Or made the Singetails destroy every single one of our huts? What if everything we've worked for is lost and we're just letting it happen?"

She followed him, before standing dead in front of him and forcing him to stop pacing. He turned his head the other way, refusing to meet her eyes. He wouldn't look at her, how could he? He'd failed his father, his team and most importantly, he'd failed her, his betrothed. When he was to spend everyday with this woman for the rest of his life as her husband, he couldn't expect her to possibly ignore this failure, this colossal failure.

"I know that's not what you're most worried about" She turned his face to hers, letting her hand linger on his cheek. "We're a team, the two of us, and going to be until the day we're taken to Valhalla. I know you, Hiccup. I know you don't think the Edge is lost for good"

He relented, putting his hand over hers. "How in Thor's name can I keep you safe anymore?"

"Safety is overrated" She whispered, pressing her forehead against his, "I'd rather be your wife than safe"


	9. Memory

**Set one year after the events of HTTYD2**

* * *

The day was like any other...except it wasn't.

Sunlight seeped through the curtains of the bedroom, disturbing the slumber of the chief and his wife. Astrid lay on her front, as she usually did, with her head turned and without a night shirt. Her flaxen hair was splayed across the feather pillow in all directions as her shoulders rose and fell. Her husband, however, had barely slept. Beneath his bloodshot eyes hung purpling bags, showing the entire village his sleepless night as though it weren't already painful obvious.

It had been a year since Stoick the Vast had died.

His father had never seen him become the chief, like he had wanted. He didn't get to see him marry the woman of his dreams. He didn't get to see him take on countless duties and win the respect of his people.

How could Hiccup possibly sleep?

Beside him, Astrid stirred, rolling onto her side and edging closer to her husband's warmth. She was still blissfully resting, looking like a fallen Valkyrie. He wouldn't wake her, she worked so hard and he was so thankfully to have her by his side. She deserved a break as much as he did.

"Where are you going?" She groaned as he shuffled out of their martial bed. He had tried to be as quiet as possible, minimizing all movement as to not disturb her. Even though Astrid slept, her warrior instincts didn't. She could sense Hiccup trying to leave.

"I thought I'd start the day early" He lied in a whisper, trying not to wince as his bare feet touched the cold floor. "The chief's work is never done"

"Stay for a bit" Astrid sat up, changing position until she was leaning on his back, her head on his shoulder. She gently placed a kiss at the base of his neck, hoping to convince him not to leave just yet. "I'll make you breakfast in bed"

"As much as I'd love that" He stood up, stretching and starting to pull on clothes. "I have jobs to do, a village to run"

He tried to ignore the look of worry on Astrid's face. She knew he wouldn't have slept that night.

"Hiccup" She said softly, kneeling up to place her hands on his cheeks. He looked away. "People will understand if you take the day off"

"He would want me to carry on" He replied bluntly, stepping away and thundering down the stairs, out the door without looking back.

* * *

The villagers had dubbed that day 'The Day of The Vast' in honour of their fallen chief. All day, Berk's people had been going back and forth to the statue of Stoick, leaving flowers, weapons and the late chief's favourite foods in tribute. Hiccup had organized a service at sundown to show his respects but found he couldn't quite rise to the occasion.

He could feel the outpouring of grief from his people as he stepped up to address them. After a year, their hearts will still heavy with loss and pent up anger at the loss of their chief and their friend. Hiccup's breath hitched in his throat.

"My father" Hiccup started, beginning to feel the eyes of the village burn through him. "Was a great man"

In his peripheral, he could see Toothless' midnight black scales and felt Astrid's presence behind him. Biting back his anxieties, Hiccup scanned the crowd. There wasn't a person nor dragon unaccounted for.

"Who was taken before his time" He continued, members of the crowd nodding. "But this is not a day of hatred or anger or revenge. This is a day of respect and we shall honour his memory by protecting each other and our home as he would have wanted"

The dragons behind the crowd looked solemn, almost as though they understood the meaning of the day and felt the same great loss as the villagers did.

"He was a man of dignity, of strength and of love. He was the first chief to open his heart and his home to dragons, a chief who was loved by his people as a leader and as a friend. And I can only hope to be half the man that he was"

He looked up at the sky, hoping his father could hear him. "We remember him today and always"

Hiccup took a step back, turned the statue and bowed his head. The rest of the village followed suit, allowing a minute of respectful silence. Toothless shot a plasma blast up into the darkening sky, as did the rest of the village dragons. The sky became alive with light and colour as Berk stared in awe at their beautiful tribute.

"You were amazing up there, Hiccup" Valka congratulated him, embracing him and then Astrid. "Your father would be so proud of you"

"I didn't think it would be this hard to let him go" Hiccup sighed.

"Look at me" His mother commanded, placing a hand on his cheek. "We _never_ have to let him go. No matter where you are in the world or when, he'll always be your father"

"And a grandfather" Astrid interjected gingerly.

Valka clasped a hand over her mouth and Hiccup stood paralyzed in shock and disbelief before turning around, the biggest smile spreading across his face like an infection. "A grandfather?"

"And I was thinking" She continued, taking one of Hiccup's hands and placing it on her stomach, "That Stoick would be a great name for a baby boy"

He did reply. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms, placing kiss all over her. Next to them, Valka stared up at the sky, smiling.

And Stoick smiled back.

* * *

 **Sorry not sorry :)  
**


	10. Sleepless

**Warning: May contain some RTTE Season 6 spoilers**

* * *

Berk.

That one-of-a-kind, rough-around-the-edges little island that Hiccup called his home. It was small but what it lacked in size, it made up for in life. That miserable island that Hiccup once thought was boring, drab, lifeless even, now seemed to burst at the seams with colour and vivacity. The safe-haven pile of rocks he could call his own, his island, his tribe and him, their leader.

Of course, he would always hold a special place in his heart for Dragons' Edge. Never - not even when he was frail and grey - would he forget the year he lived out there, independent from his father, and thriving. When he thought of all the adventures they had there, he couldn't help but smile to himself. On the Edge, he'd grown, matured, discovered a whole manner of things he never thought possible.

But, with the good, also came the bad and the ugly.

He would toss and turn at night during those last months, often waking with a start and plagued with toxic thoughts whirring inside his head. If he could barely protect the six of them, how would he protect a whole island? He'd feel dizzy with stress and nauseous with anxiety over the preservation of their Edge, their little corner of the world. He couldn't begin to count the amount of times that at least of one of them had been thrown in harms way.

Alas, Hiccup's sleeplessness was not left at the Edge. It had followed him home to Berk, sometimes so terrible that he didn't dare to fight the insomnia. The only thing that he could do most nights was stare and wonder. The stars above him watched him as he decided, one night, that a walk would do him some good while everybody else slept.

The night was cold, almost bitter. Hiccup was glad he'd taken the time to throw on extra clothing before leaving the house. Stars - bright and shining - littered the sky, illuminating the island like a thousand lanterns. Though it was the same night sky that he was under at the Edge, it seemed even more breathtaking back home.

"Can't sleep either?" Someone said. He didn't have to turn around to know that it was Astrid and that she was smirking.

"You know me so well" He retorted. He expected her to be wearing her to be wearing a night gown or her usual day clothes. His mouth fell open when he saw that she was wearing one of his shirts, which she had probably stolen right out of his hut at the Edge. "What keeps you up at night, shirt thief?"

"Force of habit, I guess" She replied, hugging herself. Goosebumps adorned her pale skin. Nights at the Edge were certainly a lot warmer than on Berk and she was regretting her choice to leave her house in just Hiccup's shirt and no coat. "I was always worried someone would try and attack if we were all asleep at the same time"

"It wasn't your job to worry about that" He softened, removing his fur coat and draping it over her shoulders. He kissed her forehead "I will always protect you. Alright? You never have to worry about that"

"I shouldn't be just your job either" She replied, savoring his warmth "We're a team - you, me, Snotlout, Fishlegs, the twins - we're Dragon Riders! That means something"

"I know you can send anyone who tries to attack us straight to Valhalla and beyond but you're also my betrothed" _Betrothed._ Hearing him call her that still made her melt. Gods, she loved him. "I have to protect you because you'll be my right hand once I'm chief"

She looked up at him "I thought Snotlout would be your second-in-command"

"Of course not" He snorted, putting his hand on her cheek "There's nobody I'd rather have telling me what to do"

"Betrothed and second-in-command?" She questioned "Won't you get sick of me?"

"I can't get enough of you" He shook his head, laughing "You'd be my wife, my second-in-command, my best friend, the mother of my children..."

"Kids? Do you think about that kind of stuff?"

"All the time" He answered, taking her hands in his and planting a kiss on one. "Three, I think, but if they have the Hofferson temperament then we'd have to stop at two"

She nudged him in the ribs playfully, laughing, and for hours, they watched the stars until they disappeared and the first glimmer of sunlight appeared over the horizon.

There was nobody else Hiccup would rather spend his sleepless nights with.


End file.
